Bermudez

School

  • School of Architecture and Planning

    • Expertise

  • Architectural design
  • architectural phenomenology
  • relationship between architecture/culture/spirituality
  • philosophy of architecture
  • neuroscience and architecture
  • design theory and methods

    • Languages

  • English, Spanish

    • Bio

    Professor Julio Bermudez directs the Sacred Space and Cultural Studies graduate concentration program. He holds a Master of Architecture and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Minnesota. He has been teaching architectural design, communication, and theory for over 30 years.

    Dr. Bermudez’s interests focus in the relationship between architecture, culture, and spirituality through the lens of phenomenology and neuroscience. He has widely lectured, led symposia, taught, and published in these areas. Current projects include a neuro-phenomenological study of sacred vs. secular architecture (funded by the Templeton Religion Trust) and the forthcoming book “Spirituality in Architectural Education.” He has published two other books: "Transcending Architecture. Contemporary Views on Sacred Space” (CUA Press, 2015) and "Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality" (Ashgate, UK, 2015, co-edited with Thomas Barrie and Phillip Tabb).

    Before this work and at the University of Utah (1993-2010), Bermudez investigated (1) the interaction between design process and computers, and (2) the use of architectural thinking to design data environments. Results of this effort were the award-winning and influential analog-digital design method, a successful information visualization study across multiple domains (attracting over $5M in funding), and a large number of lectures, workshops, patents, and publications in the U.S. and abroad. During this time, he co-created and co-led SiGraDi (Iberoamerican Society of Digital Graphics, 1997-2005) and an academic exchange program between Santa Fe-Argentina and Utah (1995-2010). 

    Bermudez has received several national and international recognitions, including the 1998 AIA Education Honors Award, the 2004-05 ACSA Creative Achievement Award, the 2005 Arturo Montagu Creative Career Prize (bestowed by Latin American SiGraDi), the 2006 ACADIA Award for Teaching Excellence, the 2010 Sasada Award for significant record in scholarship and service (conferred by CAADRIA, Asia), and the 2021 ACSA Distinguished Professor Award. In 2007, Bermudez co-founded the Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, a 600+ members (from 55 countries) organization, and has served as its president since 2015.

    Publications

    Publications

    • Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality

      Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality

      Barrie, Thomas; Bermudez, Julio; and Tabb, Philip (eds.). Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality. Routledge, 2015.

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    • Transcending Architecture

      Transcending Architecture

      Bermudez, Julio (ed.). Transcending Architecture. Contemporary Views on Sacred Space, CUA Press, 2015.

      Learn More